AMERINDIAN Heritage Month celebrations began Monday with an inter-faith service appropriately hosted at the Umana Yana, in Kingston, Georgetown, under the theme ‘Securing Our Livelihood while Maintaining our Cultural Diversity’.

Prayers were said by representatives of the various religions, including Brother Zamid Ally for the Muslim community; Pastor Onesi La Fleur of the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination; Pandit Brahmanand Prashad on behalf of Hindus; Father John Persaud of the Roman Catholic Church and Mr. Linton John for the Christian Halleluiah Faith.

The group ‘Circle of Love’ sang ‘Lord I cried’ and a traditional Amerindian song and dance praising God.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Sukhai, addressing the gathering which included Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Minister within the Ministry of Education, Dr Desrey Fox and Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsarran, noted that September showcases the rich and diverse culture of the indigenous population, embracing customs, craft, food and languages.

“Let us, together, use this occasion to strengthen the opportunity for us, as Guyanese, to remain in unity as we usher in the month of Amerindian Heritage,” she appealed.

Sukhai said the related activities will be at the Amerindian Village in the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia, also in the city, to where she took the opportunity to invite the public.

She said Amerindians add to the “richness of our multicultural society” and the month long observance has resulted in the harmonisation of relationships and respect for each other’s cultures.

Sukhai acknowledged the contribution of the late President Cheddi Jagan, who engineered the endorsement of September to become Amerindian Heritage Month, with a programme now etched in the yearly calendar.
The site is also equipped with a state-of-the-art video surveillance system which monitors visitors and the flow of traffic in and out of the compound. This system will aid in efficient security on site. (GINA)